[Acer Iconia A500] sirzen:
Version 0.2: More details - Part 1

I mainly explained the procedure not included in the links I referenced. So please reference to original post as I don't want to put duplicate code stuff here. If u feel confused pls mail me or original author.

Tools to prepare:

1. Ubuntu OS on PC with adb tool. See google's website about adb tools and how to use it.

2. A >=4GB microSD card and make sure iconia can identify it.

3. USB keyboard and USB mouse

4. rooted iconia with acer recovery installer, busybox, terminal emulator.

5. Perhaps more that I didn't listed

Files to download:

1. rootfs: http://www.dmmhosting.co.uk/tegra-rootfs.tar from Digitaldaz;

2. precompiled header: http://www.mediafire.com/?ucvk6x66129igzc from sp3dev;

3. itsmagic: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1121543&highlight=itsmagic from sc2k;

4. source code: https://github.com/astarasikov/iconia-gnu-kernel from sp3dev;

5. Perhaps more that I didn't listed

Procedure to install ubuntu:

1.0 Boot into ubuntu on your own desktop/laptop. Insert the microsd card into it. Identify the device name for the sdcard you have just inserted. Usually it would be 'sdb' if u have one hard disk. Make sure no partition of the sdcard is mounted on i.e. Eject the sdcard partition(s) in your file browser.

1.1 'sudo fdisk sdb'. If you get different device name on step 1, please use 'sudo fdisk [Your device name]'. after it enters fdisk, use 'd', choose a partition number, and delete all partitions.

1.2 Use 'n' to set up two new partitions: choose 'p' to set up primary partitions. First one: Partition number 1, First cylinder 1, last cylinder is (Total Cylinder Number)*(Partition Size)/(Card size). If u want Partition size to be 1GB, just calculate the Last cylinder number. Recommended minimum size for the first partition is 1GB.

1.3 Use 'n' again to set up another partition. For this partition, recommended minimum size is 3GB.

1.4 After u have set ur partition, use 'p' to print partition table. Make sure they're correct, Use 'w' to write them into disk. You should not get trouble in writing partiton info to disk.

1.5 Now in /dev you can see two more devices: sdb1 and sdb2. sdb1 should be the partition whose minimum size is 1GB, used as sdcard data partition for furtuer use; sdb2 use mkfs.vfat sdb1 to create fat32 filesystem on sdb1.

1.6 Make two directory in /media/, namely /media/vfat/ and /media/ext4/. Use 'mount /dev/sdb1 /media/vfat' and 'mount /dev/sdb2 /media/ext4' to mount the two partitions u have just created. Make sure you could create files under /media/ext4 and /media/vfat i.e. ubuntu could access the two partitions.

Now you have finished setting up filesystems and make ubuntu recognize them.

1.7 Use 'umount /media/vfat' and 'umount /media/ext4' to unmount partitions and insert sdcard into iconia. Use terminal emulator to see if you have '/dev/block/mmcblk1p1' and '/dev/block/mmcblk1p2'.

2.0 Back up all data using itsmagic: use the link above and use the automatic method. Seems the bat file only runs at windows. This would take a while so just let it go. it's not dead!

2.1 use adb tool to push itsmagic into /data/local/itsmagic, and change the itsmagic file property to 755: use adb shell and cd to /data/local: use 'chmod 755 itsmagic'.

3.0 use tools here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1126364 to flash the newrec.img file onto the /dev/block/mmcblk0p1, and use itsmagic to recalculate checksum.

3.1 on adb shell or terminal emulator, 'cp /system/etc/nvram.txt /mnt/external_sd/bcm4329-fullmac-4.txt'

4.0 Now get the microsd card back to your computer. We're now ready to copy ubuntu filesystem to microsd.

4.1 cd into the downloaded tarball 'tegra-rootfs.tar'. Get to know where the >3GB ext4 filesystem is mounted on your system. use 'sudo cp tegra-rootfs.tar /media/[YOUR DISK NAME]/'. cd to the latter folder. 'sudo tar -zxf tegra-rootfs.tar .' to unzip it here.

4.2 in the same directory, 'sudo gedit etc/fstab' (Pay attention not 'sudo gedit /etc/fstab'!!!), add one line after the first #-started line:

proc /proc proc defaults 0 0

4.3 insert sdcard back to iconia

4.4 turn off iconia and restart, holding vol down key and power key to power up

4.5 and now, after bundles of command lines, you'd probably see ubuntu's desktop in one or two minutes!!!